NFL exceeds last June's arrest total with Hernandez bringing this month's total to 5

As reported in a column last weekend, the number of NFL arrests hits high gear from the end of minicamps in June to the open of pre-season camps in late July.


Well this "arrest season" really kicked into high gear this week with the arrest of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez today in connection with a murder investigation.

Hernandez arrest followed the arrest Tuesday of Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Ausar Walcot (from the University of Virginia) on an attempted murder charge after he allegedly punched a man outside a bar in New Jersey. The Record (New Jersey) reported the victim remains in critical condition.

In the month of June there have now been five reported arrests of NFL players, which surpasses the four NFL players arrested in June of last year.

This could be a bad omen because the big month for NFL arrests is July. There were 11 reported arrests of NFL players in July of 2012, which was the highest monthly total of the year.

The three other NFL players reportedly arrested this month are: Cincinnati Bengals DB Adam Pacman Jones for assault; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters for drag racing and resisting by flight and Baltimore Ravens running back Damien Berry for failure to appear in court on a driving with a suspended license charge.




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NFL arrests figure to go up, which means receivers like Aaron Hernandez are in peril

NFL training camps open next month, but the arrest season is swinging into high gear, which means coaches are spending a lot of nights hoping not to get one of those late night phone calls.

Receivers lead in arrests
 

 
 
For receivers, who top the NFL's arrest list, it's a time to avoid police blotters the same way they try to avoid defensive backs.

It might be too late to reel in Aaron Hernandez, but others should hire a team of psychologists and body guards.

Good luck to all and to those prone to attract trouble it's probably a good idea not to venture outside the house after midnight.

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Johnny "Football" Manziel at 40; What is the real reason for this photo?

What was the NCAA thinking with this photo of Johnny "Football" Manziel on its 2014 video game.
Is the Ed O'Bannon lawsuit forcing college sports' governing body to take extreme measures in arguing athletes shouldn't get paid for using their likeness in video games.
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Taggart/USF gets verbal commitment from Miami Jackson standout Quinton Flowers

Willie Taggart's knack for being a top notch recruiter was validated again Friday when it was reported that Miami Jackson standout quarterback Quinton Flowers has committed to the USF football team.

Listed as an athlete who will play quarterback or receiver at the next level, Flowers is a four star recruit on several publications and reportedly has offers from Alabama, Texas, Nebraska,Tennessee, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Syracuse, Mississippi and Mississippi State among others.

The 6-0, 210 pounder reportedly committed to the Bulls after attending one of USF's satellite camps Friday in Miami. Scout.com rates Flowers the nation's 10th best receiver while 247 has him as the 9th best dual threat quarterback in the country.

It has been reported that USF assistant coach BTelly Lockett, former head coach of Miami Central, played a key role in corralling Flowers, but you can't discount the influence of Bulls head coach Taggart. .

Flowers has said he wanted to go to a school that would give him a chance to play quarterback. Taggart has made that promise and Flowers just might fit the mold of the dual threat quarterback that Taggart was at Manatee High and Western Kentucky.

Lakewood Ranch athletic duo commits to Hiram College for next season

Lakewood Ranch standouts Chaz Grady (basketball) and KiJana Brown (football) have committed to play for Hiram College next season.

A Division III school in Ohio, Hiram is not allowed to give athletic scholarships, but both athletes received a hefty financial aid package due in part to their high academic achievements and athletic abilities.

A 6-1 combo guard, Grady averaged 11.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season chipping in with 2.5 assists and 4 steals per game. He was a Bradenton Herald first team All-Area choice as a junior.

Brown is expected to play cornerback. He was touted as one of the best defensive backs in the area because of his athleticism and speed.

USF makes impressive showing with APR scores

The University of South Florida continued to show progress in the NCAA’s most recent edition of the Academic Progress Rate (APR) report released this week.

It was highlighted by three programs earning special recognition and nine teams posting perfect annual scores of 1,000.

The football program produced the best four-year improvement by a BCS school and men’s basketball had the fourth-best, four-year jump out of the power six conferences. The 2013 APR report consists of multi-year data from 2008-09 through 2011-12.

 

“We’ve been extremely happy with the progress we’ve made in the APR over the last few years and that success has continued in the most recent report,” said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Doug Woolard. “Our coaches and student-services department have continued to stress the importance of being strong academically and our student-athletes have done a tremendous job committing themselves to academic excellence, which has produced these stellar results.”